Prized UBC quarterback recruit Garrett Rooker eyes the scene downfield during throwing drills at UBC's 2021 fall training camp at Thunderbird Stadium. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of Varsity Letters 2021. All Rights Reserved)
Feature University Football

UBC Football 2021: Postmarked ‘Texas’, Garrett Rooker emerges from ‘Birds deep talent pool to be named starting quarterback ahead of Saturday’s opener at Alberta!

VANCOUVER — Sometimes, stuff happens that makes you want to thank your lucky stars.For UBC Thunderbirds head football coach Blake Nill, one of those days was May 8 of 2020.“Some days are better than others,” wrote Nill that day on his official Twitter account in announcing that quarterback Garrett Rooker, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound quarterback out […]

After a full season of waiting, the fun starts again for Danielle Steer and the rest of UBC's blue-and-gold-clad women's soccer team. (Photo by Richard Lam property of UBC athletics 2021. All Rights Reserved)
Feature University Women's Soccer

UBC women’s soccer 2021 home opener: When it comes to goals, ‘Birds national MVP striker Danielle Steer takes the wheel and points the way!

VANCOUVER — There was a moment, back in the spring of 2016, when Danielle Steer might have wondered about the direction of the UBC Thunderbirds’ women’s soccer program.A shining Grade 11 youth soccer talent with both Coastal F.C. and her school team at Elgin Park Secondary in Surrey, Steer was in the midst of taking […]

Simon Fraser senior captain Kayla Goncalves loves the spirit of her team and the way its younger players have accepted the challenge of the new GNAC season. (Photo by Paul Yates property of Vancouver Sports Pictures 2021. All Rights Reserved)
Feature University Women's Soccer

Thursday’s GNAC 2021 opener: It’s a youthful re-start atop Burnaby Mountain for SFU women’s soccer, yet coach Hamel says “…We’re one decision, one moment away”

BURNABY MOUNTAIN — Ask Annie Hamel what it’s been like pushing the re-start button on the B.C. women’s collegiate soccer program perhaps most limited since the pandemic’s arrival some 18 months ago, and the Simon Fraser head coach relates a moment early in the team’s preseason.“We wrote on the white board for the coaches ‘PATIENCE’,” […]

Vancouver College running back Tommy Carvaolho (28) finds some open field, eluding the tackle of Carson Graham's linebacker Kyle Carter Sept. 2 at O'Hagan Field. The Irish get back to action at home on Saturday when they face traditional rival St. Thomas More in a AAA Western Conference battle. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of Varsity Letters 2021. All Rights Reserved)
Feature High School Football

B.C. High School Football Weekend Survival Guide 09.21.21 edition: New rankings welcome AAA Fox, plus Bateman & Langley shake up AA Big 5!

LANGLEY — The Varsity Letters’ Big AAA rankings remain relatively stable, with the Terry Fox Ravens parlaying a 2-0 start and an impressive win against South Delta to move into a spot within the Big 5.The most dramatic movement, however, comes at AA, where Abbotsford’s Robert Bateman Timberwolves and the unranked Langley Thunderbirds each make […]

Varsity Letters' first B.C. High School Football Players of the Week for the 2021 season are G.W. Graham's Grade 11 defensive end Vinny Branauer (left, 75) and Rutland Grade 10 quarterback Ty Walker. (Photos by Joanne Hewitt (left) and Martyne Vallerand respective property of G.W. Graham and Rutland athletics 2021. All Rights Reserved)
Feature High School Football

Varsity Letters 09.21.21 B.C. High School Football Players of the Week: Rutland’s Walker, GWG’s Branauer take top honours!

B.C. high school football is finally back into the full swing of things, and with that, Varsity Letters is honouring the top performances of each weekend by naming a winner and a runner-up as our Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week.Coaches should remember that nominations from each weekend’s games need to be sent to […]

UBC freshman receiver Jason Soriano spent the lost 2020 season honing his skills as a full-time pass-catcher for the Birds. Now, the ex-Vancouver College star is part of three-man receiving core head coach Blake Nill has nicknamed The Smurfs. Soriano digs in on a route during a fall camp session last week. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of Varsity Letters 2021. All Rights Reserved)
Feature University Football

UBC Football 2021: Thunderbirds’ head coach Blake Nill dubs his diminutive, speedy receiver trio of Soriano, Phillips, Williams as ‘The Smurfs’ ahead of Saturday opener at Alberta!

VANCOUVER — As children of the 2000’s, you couldn’t blame a certain trio of UBC Thunderbirds’ receivers for being a little perplexed last week when head coach Blake Nill announced during a team gathering that he had discovered their perfect nickname.“I have these three guys who are all around 5-10 and they have burners,” explained […]

A near-capacity crowd jammed the stands as SFU Stadium at Terry Fox Field officially opened Saturday in Simon Fraser's 36-14 football loss to Central Washington. (Photo by Garrett James property of Simon Fraser athletics 2021. All Rights Reserved)
Feature University University Football

A SUNDAY READ: Lightning flashes from the football gods try to steal SFU’s thunder on stadium-opening night, valiant fight falls short against CWU Wildcats!

BURNABY — The Simon Fraser football team knew it was going to have to catch lightning in a bottle in order to upset the heavily-favoured Central Washington Wildcats on Saturday as SFU Stadium at Terry Fox Field had it official opening ceremonies.What it didn’t know was that in the midst of its best stretch of […]

Mission Roadrunners head coach Danny Jakobs liked the play of his young team Saturday in a win over Surrey's Sullivan Heights Stars. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of Varsity Letters 2021. All Rights Reserved)
Feature High School Football

Sleepy Sunday’s delayed B.C. High School Football Report 09.20.21 edition with wins by Mission, Fox, West Van, Bateman, Rutland and Mt. Doug!

Here is the Saturday edition of the B.C. High School Football Report.Coaches, as a reminder, please reply to howardtsumura@gmail.com if you want to make a Player of the Week nomination. The nomination must include name, both offensive and defensive position and all pertinent stats. Please don’t estimate stats, include a photo of the player that […]

Notre Dame Jugglers' Grade 11 defensive lineman Josh Burchak times his rush and his leap, attempting to disrupt the passing rhythm of Kelowna Owls' senior quarterback Joey Howorko on Friday during AAA non-conference clash played in a torrential downpour at Burnaby Lake Sports Complex on Friday afternoon. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of Varsity Letters 2021. All Rights Reserved)
Feature High School Football

FINAL: The 09.17.21 B.C. High School Football report Friday Night Lights late-night edition: The football gods bring rain and an ensuing fest of good, old fumble-rooski!!

Welcome to a late version of the early edition of the B.C. high school football report.It was a day for rubber footballs and fumbled snaps, and for foolish reporters stuck over two hours in traffic on Hyw 1 East attempting a quick half-time exit after taking some photos for this posting at the Notre Dame-Kelowna […]

Seeing the forest through the football trees of the UBC offensive line, freshman running back Dane Kapler celebrates a big-picture focus which has brought him to Vancouver to both carry the pigskin and major in forestry. Oh yeah, he's also keeping an eye on dad Gabe's San Francisco Giants. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of Varsity Letters 2021. All Rights Reserved)
Feature University Football

UBC’s Dane Kapler: How the ‘Birds freshman running back and son of San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler found the vision to blaze a football path to Vancouver!

VANCOUVER — Dane Kapler has always been able to see the forest for the trees.In an allegorical sense, there he was Tuesday, the UBC freshman running back and forestry major taking a hand-off at the team’s fall camp and bursting through a seam from behind the Thunderbirds’ thick-stumped offensive line.And, of course, in a twist […]